Scotland’s landlords warned about new electrical safety rules

Scotland’s landlords warned about new electrical safety rules

0:07 AM, 24th January 2024, About 3 months ago 1

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Private landlords in Scotland have been warned by SELECT, the trade association for the electrical industry, to make sure their properties meet the new Repairing Standard guidance on electrical safety, which comes into effect on March 1.

The guidance, issued by the Scottish Government, sets out the minimum level of repair that all private rented homes must achieve and mandates that a qualified electrician conducts an electrical safety inspection at least every five years.

The Scottish Government says the new guidance was introduced to align the private rented sector with the existing standards in the social rented sector.

‘Changes in the Repairing Standard statutory guidance’

SELECT’s director of technical services, Bob Cairney, said: “The changes in the Repairing Standard statutory guidance are not intended to create a different tier for a private rented property versus other forms of tenure when carrying out periodic inspection and testing.

“They are intended to enable landlords to respond appropriately where a deficiency has been identified that there is no RCD protection provided to meet the minimum requirement of the standard, i.e. there must be at least one RCD.”

He added: “Landlords may now need to take some action where situation is identified in an Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR) and the electrical contractor responsible for the periodic inspection and testing should be able to provide appropriate advice on how best to comply.”

Every rented home must have at least one residual current device

The government’s guidance also states that every rented home must have at least one residual current device (RCD) in its consumer unit, which is a device that can prevent electric shocks and fires by cutting off the power supply when a fault is detected.

Landlords are also expected to instruct tenants on how to test the RCD by pressing the test button at regular intervals.

Mr Cairney says that landlords who are unsure of what action to take should contact their local SELECT member to carry out an inspection.


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Comments

Jireh Homes

15:24 PM, 28th January 2024, About 3 months ago

Select quotes "The changes in the Repairing Standard statutory guidance are not intended to create a different tier for a private rented property versus other forms of tenure when carrying out periodic inspection and testing", but this is creating a more onerous obligation on the PRS compared with owner occupiers by mandating RCD protection.

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